History of the MACC

Near the end of the 1992 school year, a few concerned citizens got together and talked about building a recreation center in Western Snyder County. A survey was put together to determine how much support would be given to such a project. Overwhelming results became the basis of a committee (now a board) that continues to work toward this goal since those early days.

The West Snyder Recreation Association, the board of directors of the Middlecreek Area Community Center, became incorporated in May of 1994. After looking at 14 different sites for the facility, a 3.8-acre lot in Beaver Springs was purchased in 1995. Preliminary plans were approved in May of 1995.

Finance, Building, Long Range Planning, Publicity, and Fund-Raising committees were put in place with a member of the Board of Directors chairing each committee. They existed throughout the project completion and have continued to manage the project.

During the early days, many fundraisers were held and the money earned was used to pay for the 3.8 acres of land and to start a building fund.

In March of 2000, the rendering of building was displayed in the banks and local businesses. In the same month, a celebration was held to recognize supporters of the first Capital Campaign. The Fund-Raising Committee work extremely hard to raise the money needed in order to break ground. On June 26, 2000 they did just that at the official groundbreaking ceremony.

During this time frame the board was approached to establish a permanent Senior Citizen Center on the 3.8-acre site. After the details were worked through, the Board of Directors agreed to the plans. This facility now has a permanent home and is enjoyed by many area seniors, who are now great supporters and members of the Middlecreek Area Community Center.

In September of 2000, site preparation began. Building footers were completed in December. March 2001 they began the steel framework and concrete floor pads were prepared in April. The Board of Directors worked diligently with all construction details and decisions. By June all pre-cast walls were installed and the concrete floors poured and finished. The month of July brought the remainder of the steel structure to completion while other masonry walls were beginning to be laid. November of 2001 started work on the roof after the walls and shell of the building was being completed.

The New Year 2002 began the interior walls and finishing. HVAC was completed by the beginning of March. Volunteers helped with all interior work and it started to take shape. Equipment was ordered and starting to be delivered. The Search Committee hired an Executive Director, Eric Grimes, by April to prepare for the opening.

The Executive Director and the Board of Directors then hired an Assistant Director, Brandon Phelps, in May of 2002. The Middlecreek Area Community Center unofficially opened to the public May 18, 2002 with the official “Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony” not far behind in the beginning of June. Since the opening of the MACC the 2003 fiscal year showed the center operating in the “black” with an operating fund balance of over $20,000.00 as of October 2003.

Currently, the MACC has over 100,000 daily visits made by membership cards since we opened in May 2002. The center has had over 1100 members.

The MACC has opportunities for everyone in the central Pennsylvania area. The Center’s 10,000 square feet gymnasium hosts basketball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, field hockey, softball, baseball, gymnastics, and other indoor activities. Our fitness center is equipped with the latest free weights, cardiovascular, and weight training machines. MACC also has two regulation courts for racquetball, squash, and handball and an aerobics studio offering a variety of activities from step aerobics to self-defense. Our game room with billiards, air-hockey, shuffleboard, ping-pong, video games, and a vending area is an excellent place for family fun. We also offer an educational room for meetings, tutoring, training, and workshops. In addition, the educational room has a bank of computers for use by our members. As an added convenience, for members, a nursery is provided.